| 摘要 |
A method and apparatus for the detection of optical channels in an optical signal and their reliable discrimination against optical amplifier noise, i.e. amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), includes splitting, using an optical filter, an input optical signal into two replicas separated by a delay and adjusting the delay such that a periodicity of the optical filter substantially matches the channel spacing of the input optical signal, such that the optical channels within the input optical signal are directed to a first output and noise within the input optical signal is divided between the first output and a second output. The method and apparatus further include determining a difference in power between the first output and the second output wherein the difference in power is an indication of the presence or absence of optical channels within the input optical signal. According to one embodiment of the present invention, if the difference in power between the first output and the second output is substantially zero, there are substantially no optical channels present in the input optical signal. Conversely, if the difference in power between the first output and the second output is substantially greater than zero, there is at least one optical channel present in the input optical signal.
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